A Genius Rises, and Enemies Are Born

The morning sun cast golden rays over Azure Cloud Mountain as thousands of hopeful cultivators gathered before the sect's towering jade gates. Word had already spread through the entire examination grounds.

A young man from a declining clan had entered the Spirit Beast Forest alone.

He had slain a Second-Rank Crimson Flame Tiger.

He had returned unharmed.

Many refused to believe it.

"It must have been Elder Mo who killed the beast."

"No one at the Body Tempering Realm could accomplish such a feat."

"It has to be a lie."

Lin Tian ignored the whispers as he followed the other participants toward the main plaza. His expression remained calm, but his mind was racing.

The Ancient Sovereign Ring rested quietly on his finger, disguised as an ordinary bronze ring.

The Infinite Sovereign System suddenly appeared.

Host Status

Name: Lin Tian

Age: 16

Cultivation: Body Tempering Third Stage

Physique: Dragon Emperor Physique (10% Awakened)

Bloodline: Ancient Dragon Bloodline (Dormant)

Spirit Root: Infinite Chaos Root (Hidden)

Martial Soul: Sealed

Luck: SS Grade

Comprehension: SS Grade

Charisma: A Grade

Sword Talent: S Grade

Alchemy Talent: Locked

Array Talent: Locked

Beast Taming Talent: Locked

Destiny: Unknown

Main Quest: Become an Outer Disciple.

Lin Tian stared at the screen.

"So these are my true talents..."

The System continued.

Warning.

Host possesses Heaven-Defying Fortune. Powerful enemies are naturally drawn to extraordinary destiny. Prepare yourself.

Almost immediately, trouble arrived.

A luxurious golden carriage descended from the sky, pulled by four flying spirit lions.

Every disciple stepped aside.

"The Young Master of the Heavenly Sword Family!"

A handsome young cultivator stepped out wearing white robes embroidered with golden dragons.

His cultivation pressure swept across the plaza.

Body Tempering Ninth Stage.

His name was Jiang Chen, the number one genius of the Heavenly Sword Family and the favorite to dominate the entrance examination.

His cold eyes swept across the crowd before stopping on Lin Tian.

"So..."

"You're the one everyone's talking about."

Lin Tian met his gaze.

"I suppose."

Jiang Chen smiled faintly.

"I don't like people stealing my spotlight."

Before Lin Tian could answer, another powerful aura descended.

A beautiful young woman wearing crimson robes landed gracefully beside Elder Mo.

Her long silver hair flowed behind her like moonlight.

She was Su Yue, the Holy Maiden of the Azure Cloud Sect.

Countless disciples lowered their heads in respect.

Even Jiang Chen's expression became serious.

Su Yue looked directly at Lin Tian.

For a brief moment, surprise flashed across her face.

That aura...

Why does his spiritual energy feel so ancient?

Before she could investigate further, another voice interrupted.

"So that's him?"

A massive youth carrying a giant black axe stepped forward.

"I am Han Wu, the strongest disciple from Iron Mountain City."

He cracked his neck and grinned.

"If you're really that strong..."

"Fight me."

The crowd erupted with excitement.

Lin Tian sighed.

"I came here to join the sect."

"Not to fight."

Han Wu laughed loudly.

"In the cultivation world..."

"The weak don't get to choose."

Without warning, Han Wu swung his enormous axe.

The air exploded.

Lin Tian dodged at the last possible moment.

The axe smashed into the stone plaza, leaving a crater several meters wide.

Many participants gasped.

"What monstrous strength!"

Han Wu charged again.

This time Lin Tian drew his sword.

Steel met steel.

BOOM!

A powerful shockwave swept across the plaza.

Although Lin Tian was pushed backward several steps, Han Wu was equally surprised.

"Interesting."

"You blocked my full-strength strike."

Lin Tian smiled.

"You rely too much on brute force."

"What?"

Using his Divine Spirit Eyes, Lin Tian instantly identified Han Wu's weaknesses.

Every movement.

Every breathing rhythm.

Every opening.

He disappeared.

"So fast!"

Han Wu turned too late.

Lin Tian's sword stopped one inch from Han Wu's throat.

Silence.

Then...

Thunderous applause.

Elder Mo laughed.

"Enough."

"This is not the battlefield."

Han Wu slowly lowered his axe.

Instead of anger, he burst into laughter.

"I lost."

"I like you."

"From today onward..."

"We're rivals."

Lin Tian nodded.

"A fair rivalry is welcome."

But another pair of eyes watched from the shadows.

Jiang Chen's expression had grown darker.

He's dangerous.

If he enters the sect...

He'll become my greatest obstacle.

At that moment, a hooded elder standing atop a distant mountain whispered to himself.

"The Infinite Chaos Root..."

"It truly exists."

The old man's body dissolved into black mist.

Far away, inside a hidden palace beneath the earth, dozens of figures dressed in black robes knelt before a giant throne.

Upon the throne sat a man wearing a black dragon mask.

He slowly opened his crimson eyes.

"Our spies have confirmed it."

"The prophecy has begun."

"The child carrying the Ancient Sovereign's destiny has appeared."

The hall fell silent.

The masked ruler raised one hand.

"From this day onward..."

"The Shadow Heaven Organization will hunt Lin Tian."

"No matter where he hides..."

"No matter how strong he becomes..."

"He must die before he reaches his full potential."

Thousands of assassins across the continent simultaneously received the same order.

Kill Lin Tian.

Back at Azure Cloud Sect, Elder Mo announced the final examination.

"The last trial is the Heart Trial."

Every participant stepped into an enormous illusion array.

Some immediately collapsed.

Others screamed in terror.

The array forced each cultivator to face their deepest fears and strongest desires.

When Lin Tian entered...

He found himself back on Earth.

His apartment.

His old life.

His regrets.

He saw the lonely boy he once was.

The dreams he had abandoned.

The people he never had the courage to become close to.

A gentle voice whispered.

"You can stay."

"No pain."

"No enemies."

"No cultivation."

"Just peace."

Lin Tian closed his eyes.

Then smiled.

"I already died once."

"I won't live in the past again."

With a single step, he shattered the illusion.

CRACK!

The illusion array exploded with dazzling golden light.

Outside, every elder stared in disbelief.

"He... broke the Heart Trial?"

"Impossible."

"No disciple has ever done that."

The Infinite Sovereign System chimed.

Congratulations.

Hidden Protagonist Attributes Unlocked:

Heaven's Fortune: Opportunities naturally appear in dangerous situations.

Plot Insight: Increased intuition when facing hidden schemes and ancient inheritances.

Unyielding Will: Mental attacks and illusions become far less effective.

Dragon Emperor Aura: Weaker enemies instinctively fear your presence as your cultivation grows.

Rapid Comprehension: Techniques that take others years to learn can be mastered in days.

Karmic Protection: Surviving fatal situations becomes more likely, though never guaranteed.

Limit Break: During desperate battles, you may temporarily surpass your current cultivation.

Lin Tian took a deep breath.

The road ahead would no longer be that of an ordinary cultivator.

He now had powerful rivals, hidden enemies, and a secret organization hunting him from the shadows.

Yet he also possessed gifts that, if used wisely, could one day place him among the greatest cultivators in history.

High above the clouds, an ancient dragon opened one eye.

Far beneath the earth, the masked ruler of Shadow Heaven smiled coldly.

The game between destiny and darkness had begun.

And Lin Tian had unknowingly become the center of it.

End of Chapter 5

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